Evacuations Continue At Wollaston, Hatchet Lake
Wednesday, June 01, 2011 at 13:08
Two hundred residents of Wollaston and the Hatchet Lake First Nation were evacuated to Saskatoon today.
That brings the total number of evacuees to 442.
Emergency officials are busy trying to bring more planes into the community; however drifting smoke has temporarily closed the airport.
Steve Roberts is the director of the province’s wildfire branch.
He says the blaze near the community is about 500 hectares in size.
“So the fire is near the fence on the outskirts of the high school property. But that’s where our guys are controlling the fire. And they have good access from the ground and the air.”
Officials say a thousand or so residents are currently holed up inside the community’s two local schools.
Meanwhile evacuees in Prince Albert are anxiously waiting for more updates on the situation.
Tara is a young Mother who was flown down with her baby.
She says she worries about her loved ones who are still in the community.
“It’s not going good. I’m just worried about my boyfriend back home. That’s about it.”
The band was also due to have an election this week but that will have to be postponed.
Hatchet Lake band councilor Ed Benoanie says conditons have been a challenge for the water bombers, because there is still ice on the closest lake.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Red Cross says tamily members of evacuees can call 1-888-953-FIND (3463) toll-free in Saskatchewan.
Callers are being urged to leave a message with their name and contact information, as well as the name and community of the person or persons they are looking for.
The agency says if the person is registered with the Red Cross, the message will be passed to them.